Fires And Spiders
by AlphaPaw04
Summary: Both Naiee and Hiro are scarred by the sudden loss of their sibling. When Hiro moves in next to Naiee and the two learn how much they have in common, an instant friendship is sparked. However, a team of people from a faraway land have arrived in the village, and though they seem friendly, Naiee and Hiro both know they have malicious intentions. And they aim to prove it.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note- I made up how the village system works and other things in this story that is my fictional view of how things operate in Brother's A Tale Of Two Sons. Although harpies are not included in the game, I felt it made sense they would be in the world of brothers.**

 **I do not own "Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons" or "Big Hero 6" or any characters associated with them.**

 **The language that many names are in is Basque**

"Aunt Cass, do we have to move to the next village section? All my friends are here!" Hiro complained.

"Hush. Everything is already packed, there's no turning back now." Aunt Cass glared. This was the fifth time Hiro had protested against the move. "Now grab Baymax and let's go."

Hiro stomped up to his room.

"TADASHI LIVED HERE! WE'RE LEAVING HIM!" Hiro screamed, and he slammed the door shut.

A red wooden box made a clicking sound and opened. A large white robot with black eyes stepped out.

"I sensed distress. Is there a problem, Hiro?" Baymax asked.

"Yes. We're moving to a different village section that's far away from here."

"Why is that bad?" Baymax blinked.

"Because, all my friends are here!"

"Moving is an opportunity to make new friends."

Hiro slammed his head against the wall and glared at the robot.

"HIRO!" Aunt Cass yelled. "COME ON!"

"I am satisfied with my care, you bucket of bolts." Hiro told Baymax.

Baymax sunk back into his box. Hiro picked it up by the handle, and came back downstairs. He surveyed the empty living room, kitchen, everything. He remembered wrestling with Tadashi in the living room. Even though he was stronger, Tadashi would always let Hiro win.

Hiro started tearing up. He consoled himself, quickly wiped his eyes, and walked out the door. Aunt Cass had the wagon loaded.

Hiro put Baymax's box in the back of the wagon, and walked alongside it as they rolled away from home.

"Aunt Cass, do we have to move to the next village section? All my friends are here!" Hiro complained.

"Hush. Everything is already packed, there's no turning back now." Aunt Cass glared. This was the fifth time Hiro had protested against the move. "Now grab Baymax and let's go."

Hiro stomped up to his room.

"TADASHI LIVED HERE! WE'RE LEAVING HIM!" Hiro screamed, and he slammed the door shut.

A red wooden box made a clicking sound and opened. A large white robot with black eyes stepped out.

"I sensed distress. Is there a problem, Hiro?" Baymax asked.

"Yes. We're moving to a different village section that's far away from here."

"Why is that bad?" Baymax blinked.

"Because, all my friends are here!"

"Moving is an opportunity to make new friends."

Hiro slammed his head against the wall and glared at the robot.

"HIRO!" Aunt Cass yelled. "COME ON!"

"I am satisfied with my care, you bucket of bolts." Hiro told Baymax.

Baymax sunk back into his box. Hiro picked it up by the handle, and came back downstairs. He surveyed the empty living room, kitchen, everything. He remembered wrestling with Tadashi in the living room. Even though he was stronger, Tadashi would always let Hiro win.

Hiro started tearing up. He consoled himself, quickly wiped his eyes, and walked out the door. Aunt Cass had the wagon loaded.

Hiro put Baymax's box in the back of the wagon, and walked alongside it as they rolled away from home.


	2. Chapter One

Naiee sat in between his brother's grave and his mother's.

"A new kid is supposed to be moving in next door to us today." He said.

Faint white mist spread from his mother's tombstone. A figure took form out of it, features slowly beginning to rise from the facial area.

"Anyone your age?" Naiee's mother, he called her Moma, asked.

"I think a boy one or two years older than me." Naiee answered.

"What about your brother's age?" Moma asked.

"I don't think so, but I'll let you know as soon as they get here."

"Thanks honey." Moma attempted a peck on the forehead. It made Naiee's chest ache with sadness, remembering when Moma could touch him and give him those motherly kisses.

"Naiee! The new neighbors are coming!" Father called.

"I have to go. Bye Moma." Naiee said, then he got up and ran to his father. His dead family member evaporated.

"Naiee, dust yourself. You have dirt all over you." Father said softly. Naiee quickly patted down his pants and vest.

Father nodded with approval and turned to look at the approaching wagon.

"Greetings, new neighbors!" Father called, waving. He nudged Naiee with his foot.

"Hi!" Naiee shouted. He waved.

The woman leading the wagon had short brown hair, big olive eyes, a simple black and brown dress, and black boots. The boy walking alongside the wagon had messy, shoulder length black hair, familiar brown eyes, a red shirt with white stitching, a navy blue vest (kind of like the kind Naia would wear), black fingerless gloves, brown pants, and black boots.

"Hello!" The woman called. She stopped the ox leading the wagon in front of the house one rockpile away from Naiee's.

Father walked down the bridge that led to the rockpile, and Naiee followed closely behind.

"It's a pleasure to make your aquiantence." Father said, extending a hand towards the woman.

"For you as well. My name is Cass, and this is my nephew, Hiro." The woman said, gesturing to the boy.

The boy, Hiro, looked up and awkwardly waved.

"My name is Jae'ish, and this is my son Naiee." Father said. He swayed a hand toward Naiee.

"It's an honor to meet you, Miss Cass and Hiro." Naiee dipped his head.

"What a handsome young gentleman." Cass smiled. "Well, now that we've gotten past the formalities..." Cass turned and pulled a tray out of the wagon.

"Who wants cookies?" She exclaimed. A dozen chocolate chip cookies rested on the pan.

"Wow!" Naiee said. "How did you find these?"

Cass chuckled. "I made them. The chocolate is a bit hard to come by, but it's not that much trouble."

Naiee's mouth watered. He hardly ever got desserts, they were so expensive, and his father didn't make that much money selling fish.

"Well, help yourself!" Cass said.

"Thank you very much mam!" Naiee exclaimed. He took a cookie of the tray and took a bite. Gooey chocolate and sweet, crispy, cake-like taste slid onto his tongue.

"This is amazing!" Naiee said after swallowing his bite. He munched on it again.

"Thank you hon." Cass smiled sweetly.

Naiee licked his lips after finishing his cookie, savoring the taste of the crumbs his tongue had discovered.

"Hiro, why don't you show Naiee Baymax? I'm going to start unpacking." Cass suggested. She set the tray of cookies on a tree stump.

"Allow me to assist you." Father offered.

"You're too kind." Cass blushed.

Hiro pulled a red, wooden box out of the pile of boxes. He met Naiee's gaze and jerked his head upwards.

Naiee nodded.

Both boys ran across the bridge up to Naiee's yard. Hiro set his box down.

"Hold still." Hiro said. He pulled a small tack out of his pocket.

Naiee gulped and froze.

Hiro took Naiee's gloved hand and pricked his pointer finger with the tack. Pain swam in Naiee's finger.

"Ow!" Naiee exclaimed. He yanked his hand away. A small amount of blood had began to rise from the prick. "What was that fo-"

The box opened. A large white humanoid inflated. It looked like a wad of cotton with a head, arms, and legs, except smoother and tighter. Two black dots with a line connecting them made up the facial features.

"Hello. I am Baymax. Your personal, healthcare, companion." The humanoid said.

"Woah." Naiee breathed.

"He was my brother's." Hiro said.

"You have a brother?" Naiee asked, looking away from the humanoid.

"Had. He died. There was a fire." Hiro said curtly.

"Oh." Naiee said. He darted his eyes awkwardly. "Older or younger?"

"Older."

"And he made this...thing?'

"It's a robot. The answer is yes and no. He made the first one, but the first one is floating around somewhere in a teleportation vortex. The first one's data chip is installed in this one, which I made. He remembers everything that happened to his original model."

"Wow. What does he do?"

"He's made to be a healer." Hiro walked up to the robot. He pushed two fingers against a circle on it's chest, and an access port slid out. Naiee may not know much about robots, but he was no dummy.

Two cards were in the port. A green one, and a purple one.

"The green one is the data chip from the original model." Hiro explained. "It has over ten thousand medical procedures downloaded. The other one is combat. If I put some armor on this guy, he can be pretty menacing. Although he can't hurt anyone because of his programming. I used to use him to keep order in my village section other than just heal people. My friends had some gear too. We would all get tricked out, then we would keep justice."

"Cool." Naiee breathed.

Baymax put some disinfectant medicine on the prick on Naiee's finger, then he wrapped it in a bandage.

"That's impressive." Naiee said, examining his finger.

"Yeah, it is." Hiro agreed.

Naiee raised his eyebrows at Hiro. "I wonder..."

Hiro tilted his head to the side. "What? What are you wondering?"

"Oh it's nothing."

"Well you've got me interested now."

"What section did you say you were from?"

"I never said. I'm from the Grassland Section."

"Great." Naiee grinned. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly.

Silence for three seconds. And then a bird like figure came into focus, flying towards the boys.

"What..?" Hiro muttered.

"This is my griffin, Sal. Short for 'Salbatu', which means 'save'." Naiee smiled. The lion-bird settled on to the ground, his wings stirring up leaves. Brilliant russet feathers decorated his strong, muscled wings. He had a soft looking white underbelly, gleaming golden talons, a red-brown lion tail that was lashing back and forth, and a small golden orange beak in the center of his face. His large, dark, shiny eyes stared at Hiro, curiosity flickering in his expression.

"He's beautiful." Hiro approached Sal, one hand extended. Then he hesitated and looked to Naiee. "May I?"

"Sure." Naiee nodded.

Hiro rested his hand on the griffin's beak. His feathers rose a little, but he didn't show any sign of uncomfort.

"Wow. I've never seen one before." Hiro said softly.

"I figured, seeing as you're from the Grasslands." Naiee replied. He softly stroked Sal's wings. Hiro began to pet the griffin, and Sal seemed to like him. Sal made that whistling sound, the one griffin's sing, which guaranteed he liked Hiro.

Naiee watched Hiro, studying his eyes. They were chocolate brown, and had a protective, intelligent gleam. Just like Naia's eyes. There was the chest ache again, yearning for his brother to be returned from the dead, so he could look into those eyes on Naia and know that everything would be okay because his big brother was going to be there for him. That Naia was going to protect him from anything and anyone.

Hiro looked up from Sal. "Why are you staring at me? Are you crying?"

"You remind me of him." Naiee whispered.

"I remind you of who?" Hiro asked.

Naiee choked and snapped out of his daze. Hiro stared at him, his head tilted to the side. Naiee blinked furiously, and tears dripped from his eyes. He frantically wiped them with his sleeve and hands.

"No one. You remind me of no one." Naiee said quickly. "Do you want to ride him?" He patted Sal.

"Naiee, who do I remind you of?" Hiro said, looking away from the griffin.

"He really is quite fun to ride..."

"Naiee."

"You just have to hold on tight to his neck..."

"Naiee, tell me."

"Don't pull any feathers. He hates that..."

"Tell me."

"When he's landing make sure to keep your feet away from his talons..."

"NAIEE!"

"YOU REMIND ME OF MY DEAD BROTHER ALRIGHT!" Naiee exclaimed. He grit his teeth. "You remind me, of Naia."

"How?" Hiro asked.

"You have his eyes." Naiee answered. "Now, climb on this griffin before I leave with out you."

Hiro sighed and stepped back. "I'd rather use Baymax. Do you think my Aunt Cass will mind?"

Naiee patted Sal's fore arm. The griffin flexed it's claws and drew various lines in the dirt, that eventually spelled out "GoNE GrIFFIN rIDING, bE baCK SooN."

"Wow." Hiro said. He looked Sal in the eye as if looking for secret robotic parts.

"Yep. Don't say griffin's aren't smart." Naiee said.

"What a fascinating creature. Griffins are not in my healthcare, or combat, database."

Baymax said.

"They'll treat you how you treat them." Naiee smiled.

Hiro pulled six red chips out of his pocket. He placed one on each of Baymax's arms, his legs, chest, and head. They quickly grew into smooth red and purple armor, which did give Baymax a more menacing look. Red wings popped out of his shoulders. Hiro quickly mounted the robot after putting his purple armor on.

"Hmm..." Hiro's smirk got mischievous. "I wonder who's faster..."

"Let's find out." Naiee replied.

"Ready?" Hiro asked, his expression clearly daring, challenging, Naiee.

"Oh yeah." Naiee smirked.

"Thrusters!" Hiro shouted. Fire shot out of Baymax's feet and hands, and he hovered in the air. _Robots are so cool_ , Naiee thought. He was briefly reminded of the inventor he and Naia had encountered on their way to the Tree of Life.

Chest ache.

Naiee shook his head and rubbed Sal's right wing. He started flying.

"One lap around the village. First one back wins." Naiee said.

"You're on." Hiro grinned.

"Ready...set...GO!"

They took off.

The wind rolled over Naiee as Sal sped through the air, screaming in griffin. This was the feeling. This was life. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, wind running through his hair, his heart beating at what felt like 100 miles per hour. This is what he lived for.

Naiee turned to see Hiro, neck and neck as he rode Baymax.

"I'm impressed, not many people can keep up with this guy." Hiro shouted.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!" Naiee replied.

Sal screamed, then he began really flying.

The speed of the griffin was the fastest of all of the fantastical creatures of Naiee's world. A journey that took two humans two days took a griffin about...half an hour or so.

Baymax and Hiro became a red and purple speck behind Naiee.

 _Come on Hiro_ , Naiee thought. _At least make it a challenge._

As if they had read Naiee's mind, Baymax rocketed up to Sal, neck and neck again.

"CAN I-" Hiro attempted to shout some stuff over the white noise of the air zipping by that was lost to the wind. "GRIFFIN-" Wind. "AFTER I-" Wind. "RACE?"

Naiee grinned widely and shrugged. Hiro playfully rolled his eyes. He shifted his ankles and wrists, and Baymax shot forward.

"Come on Sal. We're halfway there." Naiee muttered. Sal chirped irritably.

"I promise I'll show you that fishing spot I told you about." Naiee said sweetly. Sal squawked excitedly and poured on the speed, gaining on Baymax.

Naiee glanced down, scanning the landscape. He saw the bridge that was off to the right of the healer's cabin. Baymax began to slow, seeing Naiee's house nearby.

"NOW!" Naiee cried. The griffin put on one more burst of speed.

Sal streaked forward, past Baymax, and he expertly landed on the lawn. Baymax landed barely a second after.

"Dang, that is one fast bird." Hiro said, climbing off of Baymax.

"Your neurotransmitter and heart rate levels are, rising." Baymax said thoughtfully. "This means you are, excited, and, happy."

"I sure am bud." Hiro said.

Naiee dismounted Sal. "Your robot is super fast. Griffins are the quickest creatures alive." He observed.

"I know." Hiro said smugly.

"What did you say up in the air earlier? I couldn't understand you." Naiee asked.

"Can I check your griffin out after I win the race?" Hiro smiled.

"I dunno...you didn't exactly win." Naiee teased. "Why do you want to 'check him out'?"

"I want to see how his feathers are arranged, since that makes the most sense on the explanation of why he was so fast." Hiro answered. He turned to Baymax. "I am satisfied with my care."

Baymax's armor transformed back into the chips, which Hiro quickly caught as they fell off Baymax's now huggable form. Baymax then stepped into the red, wooden box. He seemed to sink into it, and then the lid flipped over him. A key in the back began to turn.

"He's charging. I'm gonna run him down to Cass. I'll be back in one minute." Hiro said. He grabbed Baymax's box and sped down the bridge.

"One minute, eh?" Naiee smiled. He climbed onto Sal. "I can show you the fishing spot in one minute."

Sal screamed joyously and flew into the air. Naiee pointed to the east, towards one of the mountains, and Sal sped off in that direction. In ten seconds Naiee softly kicked Sal's front paw, and he halted.

"Directly below me, there is a pond with fish the size of a baby troll. They eat berries off a tree with orange leaves. Shake the branches and the fish will come up. Easy prey." Naiee explained. Sal flew around in circles three times happily. Naiee had to clutch his neck very tightly to keep from falling off.

Suddenly, a speck of red caught Naiee's eye. A person with black hair was being pushed around by three other boys. Hiro.

"Sal, drop me off down there." Naiee commanded. The griffin obliged, rocketing towards the boys, stopping for a second to let Naiee jump off, then he sped back toward the mountain.

Hiro's cheek was bruised, and his nose was bleeding. His clothes were covered in grass and dirt.

Naiee's chest grew hot with rage. Of course the local bullies would see Hiro as fresh meat. How could he have forgotten?

He recognized all three of the bullies. Icksar, the leader, was a short, scrawny boy with neat brown hair that just came past his ears, and beady dark brown eyes.

The other boys were Damien and Dustin, the twins. Both boys had a big, squat body, curly red hair, and a freckled face. The only difference was that Damien had brown eyes and Dustin had green.

"Oh, look who showed up. Mister WEAKLING!" Icksar cackled. "He can't even save his big brother from a spider!"

Damien and Dustin laughed.

"I'll have you know she was the queen, of the spiderlings. You would've wet yourself at the mere sight of her." Naiee snapped. He turned away from the bullies and helped Hiro to his feet.

"Aww... Would you look at that! The orphan and the weakling are getting along! Maybe it's because they have so much in common!" Icksar taunted.

"Stop it Icksar." Naiee hissed. Hiro stumbled a little, and Naiee hurried to steady him.

"Wow. You really are pathetic." Icksar said. He clapped. Damien and Dustin grabbed Naiee's arms and pinned him against a wall of stone. Naiee thrashed and pulled against the twin's grip, but they overpowered him two to one.

"Are you trying to be the hero or something?" Icksar asked. He grabbed a wooden bucket that had been concealed in a crevice of the stone. Naiee's heart pumped twice the regular speed once he heard the sloshing sounds coming from it.

"Heads up, kiddo. You had your shot to be the hero and you failed. You got your mother killed because you couldn't pull her into a boat." Icksar said icily. He lifted the bucket up to his chest level.

"Then you got one more chance. You failed again. You got your brother killed because you couldn't talk him out of following some girl." He continued, approaching Naiee.

"Such simple things that would have saved their lives. But you couldn't do them." Icksar stood directly in front of Naiee. "You failed them because you weren't good enough."

Icksar lifted the bucket. "And you never will be."

A wave of icy cold water crashed onto Naiee. He choked, water cascading through his half open mouth and filling his lungs. He gasped and strained against the hands that held him pinned. He began to panic. So much water. He couldn't swim. The world began to go black. He couldn't swim...

.

 _He couldn't swim. He thrashed against the surface of the river, the waves pushing him under and tossing his body around like a toy._

 _"NAIEE! HOLD ON! I'M COMING!" Naia cried. He was on the other side of the natural rock wall that split the river in half._

 _Naiee gasped for air. He was panicking, like he always did in water, his arms flailed and his legs kicked in a pathetic attempt to tread water._

 _"NAIA!" Naiee cried. "NAI-" a wave smashed into him, filling his throat with foul tasting water. He coughed and sputtered, frantically trying to get the water out of his system._

 _And then he was falling. The river had turned into a waterfall._

 _"NAIA!" Naiee screamed. He spotted a small outcrop in the surrounding stone walls._

 _Naiee grabbed the ledge mid fall and pulled himself up. His legs dangled off the outcrop as he lay belly up on the ledge. He breathed in shaky breaths, allowing himself to calm down._

 _He heard approaching footsteps. Naia was coming. He was coming. He was going to save Naiee like he always did..._

.

"Naiee!" Hiro shouted. He was shaking him."Naiee!"

Naiee sat up, coughing. His whole body was soaked.

"What...happened...?" He groaned. He coughed up more water. He noticed his arm was bruised, and his mouth tasted of blood.

"Well, that leader guy doused you in water. He had four buckets, and after the second, you just went unconscious. The twins dropped you, and they started kicking you, and then, once you were really bloody, this ghost dude or something showed up and fought them all off. He kept saying 'Stay away from my brother' over and over again."

Naia. He always came through.

"That...was my...brother." Naiee said. "Naia."

"Your brother is awesome. My brother never saves me in ghost form." Hiro's expression fell into sadness.

Naiee didn't know how to respond to that. He instead staggered to his feet, and helped Hiro up.

"Come on. The Healer should be able to fix us up." Naiee said. He pointed to the cabin on the other side of the river."

"Awesome. Aunt Cass is going to kill me." Hiro muttered. The two staggered towards the cabin.


	3. Chapter Two

"No Cass. I didn't start it. They insulted me and then they started hitting me." Hiro said drily.

"Well thank goodness Naiee showed up. You've got a black eye." Cass replied sternly. She opened a box and started pulling tableware out of it.

"Naiee just ended up getting beat up more than me. He was practically a distraction until his brother showed up." Hiro muttered.

"His brother? He has a brother?" Cass questioned.

"His brother is dead. It was his spirit." Hiro explained.

"I remember Naiee's father mentioning that he used to have two sons." Cass snickered. "But there's no such thing as ghosts or spirits coming to the real world."

"I saw him with my own eyes Aunt Cass!" Hiro exclaimed.

"You were probably just seeing things since those bullies beat you up quite a bit." Cass sighed. "Or maybe it was just a trick of the light."

"Then why did the bullies leave?" Hiro turned to look at his aunt.

"They probably got bored. It doesn't sound, or look, like you put up much of a fight." She pursed her lips.

"I can't believe this. Why don't you believe me?" Hiro threw his hands in the air dramatically.

"Because it's ridiculous!" Cass yelled. "I've had enough of this. Why don't you go see of Naiee is doing. Those punk kids knocked him unconscious, right?"

"He passed out from aquaphobia, actually." Hiro muttered.

"Don't you back talk me mister!"

"You asked if the bullies knocked him unconscious! I just answered!"

"Well you could have answered me politely."

Hiro got up, fuming. He stormed out the door, muttering profanities. He glanced upwards, towards Naiee's house.

Aunt Cass opened the door. "The storm is going to get major soon. Be home in five minutes max. Naiee's father said that the whole village stays indoors for this kind of storm."

"Fine Aunt Cass." Hiro rolled his eyes to pretend he couldn't care less about the storm, but he couldn't help but glance upwards. The sky was coated in a gray, nearly black, blanket of clouds, and the wind blew crazily.

Once Cass had disappeared back into the house, Hiro returned his gaze to Naiee's yard.

He could just about see the tip of Naiee's blonde head. He dashed across the bridge that led to his house.

There was one more platform made from stacked rocks (like almost all the other platforms in the village) that Hiro hadn't noticed. It was covered in soft looking green grass, and one weeping willow stood in the upper left hand corner. It's leaves were a crisp golden-brown, and they hung off long, drooping branches that seemed to stand guard over two tombstones. One was tall with a rose on it, the other was shorter and simpler.

Naiee had taken a knee in between them, his head bowed.

How had Hiro not noticed this before?

"Uh...Hey, Naiee. How are you?" Hiro called timidly.

Naiee raised his head and glanced over his shoulder. He smiled a little.

"Hey Hiro. I'm okay. Come on up." He said kindly.

Hiro awkwardly started walking across the bridge. An especially strong gust of wind came out of nowhere, and rocked the bridge, Hiro seized the rope railing for the rest of the walk and sat down beside Naiee.

"Are you okay?" Naiee asked. He shifted into a sitting position.

"Yeah. Your Healer is awesome." Hiro replied.

"He is, isn't he?"

"Although when he chewed up those leaves and spit them on my cut, it was a bit awkward." Hiro laughed a little.

"Yeah." Naiee laughed. "I've been whittling a masher, or beater, of some sort for him to use as an alternative to his mouth. This spit is kinda gross. But hey, it works."

"So...umm...I hate to re-hash old wounds...or however that phrase goes." Hiro stammered. "I don't want to bring up any unpleasant feelings or memories, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to…"

Naiee nodded for him to go on.

"The leader guy-"

"Icksar."

"Seriously? That's his name?"

"Uh-huh. I almost felt sorry for him when he introduced himself after he beat me up." Naiee smiled humorously at the thought of him pitying the bully.

"No wonder he's so cross!" Hiro laughed.

"I heard that his parents had a competition with another pregnant couple to see who could give their kid the weirdest name." Naiee giggled.

"Oh my gosh, really?" Hiro laughed. "Did they win?"

"Um...DUH! Although the other pregnant couple still had a crazy name." Naiee smirked.

"What?"

"Luena. For a boy."

Hiro fell over laughing. "That's horrible!"

"Yeah, but it turned out the baby was actually a girl, the husband had read the stars wrong, so it was okay."

"Is Luena nice?"

Lightning suddenly forked across the sky, illuminating the clouds. An enormous clap of thunder boomed a mere second afterward.

"Sheesh." Naiee said. He glared at the sky as rain slowly began to fall from the thick clouds. He turned back to Hiro. "Yeah. She is really nice. She also made up this game she calls 'basketball' that's really fun. I'll have to introduce you to her sometime."

Hiro smiled. He was briefly reminded of GoGo, since she and Luena both sounded like tom boys.

Naiee sighed. "Anyway, you said you wanted to ask me something?"

Hiro snapped his fingers. "Right!"

Naiie turned to look at him, smiling gently.

The question evaporated off Hiro's tongue. Naiee was in semi-good mood, and Hiro didn't feel like ruining it by asking about his brother.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"I am twelve, although everyone says I act like I'm still ten." Naiee answered. "What about you?"

"Fourteen year old genius, at your service." Hiro got up and mock bowed.

"Oh, shut up." Naiee play shoved Hiro's ankle.

Suddenly, a dark form came into view on the ocean. It was bulleting towards them.

"What in the world?" Hiro muttered under his breath.

"What? What is it?" Naiee asked. He got to his feet.

Hiro pointed to the horizon, at the blur of brown streaking across the water.

Naiee's eyes widened.

"It's a boat." He realized. 'And something is helping it go that fast."

Hiro squinted. He could make out the form of the boat. Large white sails were billowing in the tornado worthy wind. The small forms of people simply sat idly on the boat, as if they didn't care that they were rocketing towards land in the middle of a major storm.

"They may be going fast because of the wind." Hiro suggested.

"Hey fourteen year old genius, that's impossible. Plus, no one can survive being on the water in this storm for more than a couple minutes." Naiee said casually, although his expression was dark. His emerald green eyes had gained a haunted, empty look.

 _You got your mother killed because you couldn't pull her into a boat_. Hiro recalled Icksar saying. He had figured Naiee's mother drowned after Icksar said that, but, perhaps it had been during this storm?

Suddenly, a fork of blindingly white lightning bolted from the sky and struck the water in front of the speeding boat.

The boat continued as though nothing had happened.

"What in the world?" Naiee exclaimed. "The lightning of this storm turned a boat Father left in the water to ashes in seconds! How in the name of Naia is that boat still there?"

"Well, it looks like-" Hiro froze, noticing something peculiar about the back of the boat. As it zipped across the water at an impossible speed, _there was no wake_. Not a drop of white water protruded from the rear of the boat.

"It's not actually on the water. There's no wake, look!" Hiro exclaimed.

"So it's flying?" Naiee looked at Hiro strangely.

"I guess so! How could it be going that fast with no wake?" Hiro yelled.

A fork of lightning behind the boat illuminated Naiee's face. He was scowling at the ground.

"The boat is going to come to shore any second now." He finally said. "We have to be there to get a closer look."

"Okay, but how are going to get there in time?" Hiro asked. He could see the outline of the facial features of the boat's passengers. They were close.

"Follow me." Naiee said. He turned to face the left, where the beach was, and jumped.

"NAIEE!" Hiro cried. There was no way could he have gotten through that fall unharmed.

"Shhh!" Naiee's voice hissed. "I'm fine!"

Hiro peered over the edge and saw Naiee clutching a tendril of a snaky black vine.

"Come on! Just grab the Inkdrop Weed and climb down!" Naiee barked. He shimmied down the vine and leapt off, onto the rain-soaked beach. He scrambled behind a rock and peered over, watching the boat.

Hiro took a deep breath, and leapt off the ground.

He grabbed the black vine, which was surprisingly dry, and slowly climbed down. He ran to the same rock as Naiee, and crouched behind it.

The boat halted in front of the beach mere seconds after Hiro had hid himself, and he realized it really was flying. The boat had no contact with the water what so ever.

"That's insane." Hiro whispered to Naiee. "How do you think they're doing it?"

Naiee offered no response.

"Hey, you okay?" Hiro turned to look at his friend. Naiee was staring, wide eyed, with his mouth agape at the top of the ship.

Hiro slowly traced Naiee's gaze to see where he was staring. Then he saw it.

It took all of Hiro's willpower not to scream like a frightened Wasabi.

Harpies rested atop the masts of the ship, surveying the beach with their ugly, yellow eyed gaze. They all wore soaking, baggy gray dresses, with feathers the color of their hair on their wings. The largest one had crazy blonde hair and yellow feathers protruding from her arms. She was the only blonde that Hiro could see. She must have some significance among the other twenty or so harpies.

"No way." Hiro squeaked.

The harpies were keeping the boat aloft with their wings!

The harpies flapped their wings slower, and slower, until the boat touched down to the beach. A board was extended from the front, and a man walked down, onto the beach.

He looked about twenty or so, with curly black hair and the stubble of a beard. He had violent gray eyes, and he wore a simple white tunic and brown pants. He was barefoot.

Hiro watched him nervously.

He breathed in casually, and looked around.

"My friends!" The man suddenly shouted, pivoting on one foot to face the boat. "We have arrived at the the new feeding grounds. A hiding place for our feathered females has been located in that mountain." The man pointed to the tallest mountain. "I believe we already have a crew selected for the mission of...attending, our beautiful ladies."

Six of the harpies swooped down and seized six of the passengers in their talons. They all had sad, hopeless faces. Three women, and two men, and one young girl, who looked about nine.

"ELIKADURA!" The blonde harpy exclaimed. She swooped down and sized up the man. "THIS HAD BETTER BE FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS FEEDING GROUND! I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SET MY HARPIES ON YOUR CREW IF YOU ARE SLOW!"

"Of course, Erdi. It will not take nearly as long as the previous stop. And please, call me Elik." The man, Elik, said.

The harpy the man had called Erdi scowled, and she flew up to the mast. She cawed loudly to the other harpies, and they flew towards the mountain Elik had pointed out.

"Now, everyone, get into costume." Elik exclaimed, and with that, he waltzed back up to the boat.

Naiee tugged Hiro's sleeve and jerked his head to the left. Hiro nodded, and they snuck towards the path exiting the beach. They dashed up, Hiro checking behind himself to make sure they weren't being watched. The crew of the ship were busy at work, or something like that. They ripped their clothes, dirtied their hair with sand after rolling in the water, and other things to make them look ragged. The younger ones climbed the masts and pulled out knives. They sliced ropes at random, then they jumped down, dragging their blades through the sails. The bigger men punched random parts of the boat, leaving dents in the wood.

What on earth were they doing? Hiro shook his head followed Naiee up to his yard.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow. It's late, and Cass wanted me home twenty five minutes ago." Hiro suggested.

"That man's name. The one in charge. His name is Elikadura." Naiee replied.

"Yeah, so? I'm more concerned about the HARPIES!" Hiro said.

"Hiro." Naiee looked up and stared Hiro in the eye. "Elikadura means 'Feeder'."

Naiee turned and left, walking across the bridge and into his house.

Hiro stood there, confounded. Feeder? What did that even mean?

Still puzzling over Naiee's words, Hiro opened the door to his house. A sputtering, red-faced, furious, Aunt Cass stood in the doorway.

Hiro smiled weakly.

Without a word, Aunt Cass seized Hiro's ear and yanked him inside.


	4. Chapter Three

Naiee had stayed up all night. Father was already asleep, so he hadn't questioned why his son had gotten home so late.  
It was morning now. Sunlight had begun to creep through Naiee's window, bathing his desk in light. A sketch of the lead harpy, Erdi (Erdi means 'half', which Naiee figured made sense) lay on his desk, amidst the drawings of random scenes of nature, landscapes that had stayed fixed in his mind after his journey to the Tree, and of course, a drawing of Naia.  
Naiee fiddled with his scarf anxiously. Those people that the harpies had carried off all looked the same. They all had sad, hopeless expressions. An expression he knew very well, since he saw it daily when he looked in the mirror and the water.  
Those people had known pain and loss, maybe even more than Naiee. He had his fair share of heartbreak, but at least he still had his dad. Those people may have nothing.  
And the little girl...she looked around Naiee's age, when Naia had died. Who had she lost that gave her that helpless expression? Her parents? Siblings? Friends?  
Naiee shook his head. He would probably never know. That girl was probably harpy food by now.  
He got up from his desk and opened the door, and then, strictly out of habit, he looked at Naia's bed.  
They had shared a room since Naiee knew how to walk. Naia was seven when Naiee was born, and he was Naiee's first friend. Whenever Naiee had nightmares, Naia would let him sleep in his bed. If a creepy insect ever made it's way into the room, Naia would kill it before Naiee even knew. Naia would tell him stories when he couldn't fall asleep, he comforted Naiee when he was scared of the thunderstorm…

The most memorable time was when Moma drowned. Naiee barely managed to row the boat to shore before collapsing in a heap of grief and exhaustion. Naia had come seconds later, after seeing the storm. Naia was only thirteen, and Naiee was six. So young...not that strong...Yet Naia picked him up and carried him home. He lit a fire, snuggled Naiee into a blanket by the hearth, and he comforted him. They had shared tears and quiet words of encouragement. Naia had promised that he would never let anyone else in the family drown. He promised Naiee.  
Naiee's cheeks were wet with tears he didn't even know were falling.  
 _Control yourself Naiee. It's been a year. Get over it._ He told himself.  
Yet he couldn't stop himself.  
"NAIA!" Naiee screamed. He flung himself onto his brother's bed. "WHY CAN'T YOU BE HERE NOW! I'M WEAK, AND YOU'RE STRONG! I'M STUPID, AND YOU'RE SMART! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH HARPIES OR CRAZY PEOPLE! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU! PLEASE, NAIA! I NEED YOU!" He choked. He sobbed into his brother's pillow. "I need you..."

Naiee gripped his brother's pillow tightly. An unfamiliar texture of cloth greeted Naiee's fingertips.

Naiee grabbed the unfamiliar texture and yanked it out from under the pillow.

Naia's scarf.

Naiee's breath caught up in his throat. He had searched everywhere countless times for any possessions Naia had left behind. He had checked the bed at least five times. Was it possible he just didn't see his brother's scarf?

That was impossible. Naia was buried in his scarf, it shouldn't be here.

It must have just now come.

Naiee hugged the scarf close to his chest, sobbing. That ache in his chest had escalated to a pain like fire, raging through his body. He wasn't the same without Naia. He needed his strong, smart, caring, big brother. He was nothing without Naia.

Naiee consoled himself as quickly as he could. He pulled his scarf off and pushed it under Naia's pillow. He then wrapped his brother's scarf around his neck.

"Thank you." He whispered into the scarf. "Thank you, Naia."

"Naiee! Come quick! Some people have shipwrecked here!" Father exclaimed.

Naiee dropped his bread in surprise, mid-bite. "Really?"

"Just outside! On the beach! They appear to be injured. Fetch The Healer, and quickly!"

Naiee glanced out the window. The ship that had been covered in harpies the night before was now in tatters and shambles. The crew members were bloody, the ship was half destroyed, and there were no harpies in sight.

"Naiee! The Healer!" Father yelled. Naiee heard the door slam shut and he knew his father had gone to assist the crew.

Naiee swallowed his doubts and sprinted out the door. Hiro was outside, staring at the "wreck" like he couldn't believe it existed. Naiee sprinted past him.

He dashed down the dirt path and onto the wooden platform. He inhaled shakily, seized the lever, and tugged on it with all his strength.

 _You've got this_. Naia's voice whispered.

A burst of strength and energy coursed through Naiee, and he pushed the lever all the way down. The platform slid steadily along the tracks. When it stopped at the other edge, Naiee didn't even have to hesitate. He sprung up and seized the half ladder, then he scrambled up and rolled onto the grass.

He got to his feet and sprinted into The Healer's cabin.

"Naiee! What a pleasant surprise! I see you've donned your brother's scarf." The Healer said cheerfully.

"Some people ship wrecked on the beach. They're injured." Naiee said curtly.

"Oh dear." The Healer said thoughtfully. He shoved some herbs and bandages into Naiee's arms and shuffled out the door. Naiee followed, cradling the medical supplies.

The Healer was surprisingly fast for his age. Father said The Healer was old when he was just a child.

A roll of bandages fell out of Naiee's arms. He skidded to a stop, and turned to pick up the bandage.

Hiro had already snatched it off the ground. They nodded to each other, and continued down the path.

Half of the village had already gathered around the "shipwreck" , expressing their concerns in loud voices.

Icksar had drawn a knife, and was eying the crew suspiciously. A couple more people had weapons extended, though no one made a move.

The Healer was busily attending the man with curly black hair, Elik. His right arm was slashed, and he had a large purple knot on his forehead.

Naiee dashed over to him and handed him bandages and herbs.

"Thank you. Now, please get as many people off that boat as possible. Hiro, get that robot of yours." The Healer instructed.

Naiee and Hiro nodded and went their separate ways. Naiee sped up the board connecting the boat to the beach as quickly as he could without falling.

The first person he saw was a boy that looked about seventeen. He had messy red hair and deep green eyes. His cheek and leg were cut, and his shirt was ripped to reveal on more slash across his chest. He coughed up some blood, and Naiee cringed. That boy reminded him of Naia way too much.

Yet, he still charged forward and helped the boy get to his feet.

Naiee helped the boy limp down the plank to the beach, where he promptly collapsed onto the sand.

"Me and my friend saw you and your friends last night. With the harpies." Naiee whispered as he helped the man to his feet. His eyes widened nervously, and he coughed up more blood. He cried out and clutched his stomach.

Naiee helped the boy over to The Healer.

Hiro came charging down the hill, Baymax's large white form waddling behind him. Naiee exhaled contently. The Healer couldn't possibly handle this crowd. There were about...thirty people, all injured.

Baymax worked twice the speed of The Healer. Spraying medicine on bloody wounds, bandaging, giving the dehydrated people water, and more. The Healer chewed herbs and spit them on wounds like his life depended on it.

In less than five minutes, the whole crew had been treated.

The Healer got to his feet and surveyed all of the people that had gathered on the beach. Everyone was looking at him. As the oldest person in the village, The Healer was entitled to make decisions in scenarios like this. He would decide whether the crew would be allowed into the village or cast back out to sea.

"Who is in charge of this vessel?" The Healer boomed.

A man Naiee had never seen before stepped forward. He had brown hair that had ended below his ears, a long, hawkish nose, dark brown eyes, and he wore colorful garments that were torn in multiple places.

"I am. My name is Gezzura, captain of this ship." The man said.

Naiee turned to look at Hiro. "Gezzura means 'False'." Naiee whispered.

Hiro's brow furrowed, and his mouth opened a little as he pondered what the man's name could mean.

"How did your ship and crew end up in this condition?" The Healer asked.

"We had set off on a journey to trade goods with a village a little ways away from our town. However, we were attacked by harpies and whisked away by a storm. We beg of your protection and shelter until we can get back out to sea." Gezzura bowed.

"Do you have families?" The Healer asked.

"Yes. Everyone, get with your immediate family." Gezzura commanded.

They all split up into groups. Three groups of four, two groups of three, two groups of two, and one group of five. Gezzura was in one group of two. A little boy clutched his leg fearfully.

"Is your crew capable of working?" The Healer asked.

"Yes, as soon as the majority of our injuries are healed, we will work to repay any kindness shown to us." Gezzura answered.

"Very well. My friends, please split into groups. If you can house two people, go there. If you can house three, go there. If you can house four, stand there, and if you can house five, go there." The Healer pointed to four random points on the beach. Naiee spotted Father standing with a couple other families in the area that suggested they could house two people. He ran over to him, watching his expression fearfully.

Naiee didn't want to sleep in the same house with any of the people he had seen with gave him chills.

"Who would be willing to take in these two?" The Healer asked. He gestured to a teenaged girl and a young boy. Their faces were scared and desperate.  
Father raised his hand.  
"Thank you, Jae'ish." The Healer said. The girl and boy shuffled over to Naiee, keeping their eyes glued to the ground. The girl had dark hair pulled back into a braid, sad green eyes, a scar across her left eye and a cut calf. The boy had a bruised jaw, cut lip, and a slash through his right arm.  
Naiee studied them both closely. There weren't any bags under their eyes, which was suspicious once you consider their cover story. They were sketchy enough, since they were hanging out with harpies last night, but the fact that they looked well fed and rested added up to the strangeness.  
"Hi, I'm Shira. This is my brother, Miko. He's mute. Thank you for agreeing to take us in." The girl said.  
"No thanks are needed." Father smiled. "This is my son Naiee."

Naiee eyed them cautiously. He didn't trust Shira or Miko. At all.


	5. Chapter Four

Hiro was stuck playing host to three strangers that had been hanging out with harpies. One of them was a six year old girl named Jenny, and the other two were her parents, Marcus and Sophie. Hiro had asked Naiee, and those names didn't mean anything. They were just names.

Aunt Cass was extremely chipper around them, grinning like she was crazy. It was unnerving. Hiro, on the other hand, avoided them. They only caused trouble.

Jenny was a little delinquent. She had only been at his house for five hours and she had already broken three battlebots and a prototype for Baymax's new armor. Hiro had been forced to lock his door to make sure she didn't break anything else.

Marcus and Sophie were okay, but they were always talking. What did they talk about? Everything.

The weather, the dirt, pottery, dwarves, the color gray, and more. Seriously, how can you have a conversation about _the color gray_? It was ridiculous.

Baymax had already scanned them (Hiro had thought they may have some mental illness), and the results were very interesting.

Although they claimed to have been attacked by harpies, the cause of their cuts was regular steel, like Aunt Cass's kitchen knife. Harpies didn't have steel talons, they had regular vulture talons (Hiro had researched them after Aunt Cass finished yelling at him) so the cuts were made by something else.

Was it possible the crew had cut themselves? Maybe as part of their shipwreck act? But why would they go to such lengths just to pretend they shipwrecked? Some people were seriously injured!

It had something to do with the harpies. They were plotting something with the harpies.

But what?

Hiro shook his head in confusion. He decided to turn his focus to the fact of the fake leader, Gezzura. His name literally means 'false'. Elik was the guy in charge, Hiro could tell by the way he held himself and spoke last night. He had an aura of authority.

Why have a fake leader? Perhaps Elik led by night and Gezzura by day? That didn't make sense, and it also didn't explain why his name was False.

Hiro peered out his window. The sky was an inky dark blue, speckled with small pinpoints of white light. The moon had hidden behind a cloud.

Hiro sighed and swiveled around in his chair. He had done enough thinking for the day.

He groggily got up, walked three steps, and fell, face first, onto his bed. He slid under the covers, and drifted to sleep.

 _There was fire all around him. Blazing high in radiant yellow and reds, it was everywhere._

 _Hiro realized where he was, and it didn't bring up fond memories._

 _The college._

 _The fire drew closer, and he realized he was in a circle of flames. The heat that radiated off of them blistered Hiro's skin._

 _If the college was burning, Tadashi must be in here._

" _TADASHI!" Hiro cried. He spun around in the circle of flames. His brother could not be seen nor heard._

" _TADASHI!" Hiro repeated frantically._

 _He wasn't coming. If Tadashi wasn't going to show himself, then Hiro was going to find him._

 _He braced himself and clenched his fists, taking deep breaths._

 _The fire closed in._

 _Hiro charged through the flames._

 _Searing, burning pain raged through his body as the fire licked his skin. He gasped and collapsed to the floor, unable to withstand the pain for much longer. His stomach attempted to heave itself out of Hiro's mouth due to all the action and heat, but Hiro stubbornly kept the bile in his throat._

" _Ta...da...shi…" Hiro groaned. He crawled forward, looking for his brother. Smoke and flames obscured his vision, and Hiro could barely see one foot in front of his face_

 _His body was coated in soot and ashes, he was inhaling smoke along with oxygen, and his body was blistered and swelling with pain._

 _He started coughing, his lungs refusing to accept smoke instead of oxygen. He hacked and barked, clutching his torso painfully. He couldn't keep his stomach down for another second.  
He hurled, blackened vomit erupting from his mouth. He coughed, expelling ash, smoke, and bile from his throat.  
A stab of pain struck Hiro's foot. The fire had caught him.  
Hiro rolled away, gritting his teeth against the pain as tears fell from his weakened eyes.  
The sound of a young male coughing reached Hiro's ears. He shakily lifted his head, squinting to see through the flames and smoke.  
Tadashi.  
He was covered in soot and cinders, and he was coughing violently. He staggered against the wall. He fell to the floor, and began coughing up blood and oil colored vomit. _

" _Ta...da...shi…" Hiro groaned. Tadashi didn't hear him._

At the sound of a floorboard creak, Hiro burst awake.

Marcus, Sophie, and Jenny surrounded his bed.

"Wha-" Hiro began, but Marcus stuffed an old washcloth into his mouth, and tied a ribbon around his head to keep it in place.

Hiro attempted a scream and tried to get up, but Marcus was holding him down.

After a second of struggling, Sophie and Jenny tied his hands together and blindfolded him.

Hiro thrashed in the man's strong grip. Suddenly, something hard whacked the back of Hiro's head, and he fell unconscious.

When Hiro came to, he was hanging from a cavern wall. Chains attached his wrists and ankles to the cold stone. He glanced around frantically.

Harpies were everywhere. All of the harpies from the night of the storm, staring at him.

Marcus, Sophie, and Jenny were on the other side of the cave, grinning proudly.

"Did I do good Daddy?" Jenny asked Marcus.

"You did excellent." Marcus smiled and ruffled his daughter's hair.

"Yes yes, you did excellent. Now where are Shira and Miko with the other boy?" A man that had been hidden in the shadows said. He stepped into the light cast by the half moon, and Hiro recognized him as the lead guy, Elik.

Elik walked over to Hiro and surveyed him.

"He's rather skinny." Elik remarked drily.

"Well, the ladies already went through their attendants. Their stomachs shouldn't be that hard to fill." Marcus shrugged.

Hiro glanced around the cave. In one crevice, there was a pile of bones. Tons of bones, all of varying sizes.

Hiro fought to keep his stomach down, since throwing up through a gag wouldn't be a fun experience.

The sound of approaching footsteps reached Hiro's ears.

"I don't like carrying him! Mark, could you lend a hand?" A girl's voice said.

"Of course Shira!" Marcus shouted. He sprinted out of the cave, and returned seconds later with a blonde boy in orange clothing slung over his shoulder. Naiee.

Marcus untied the rope connecting Naiee's hands, and slipped his wrists into some cuffs on the wall next to Hiro.

Hiro thrashed against the cuffs, trying desperately to shout or scream something. Anything that would get Naiee to wake up.

Marcus closed the cuffs and began to work on Naiee's ankles.

Hiro turned his attention to the harpies. The lead harpy Erdi glared at him. She was much bigger than she had looked on the beach. Maybe six feet tall. The other harpies were about five foot five.

And Hiro didn't like the way they were licking their beaks.

Naiee was completely cuffed to the wall.

"Wake him up." Elik commanded.

Sophie pulled out a syringe and approached Naiee. She rolled up his sleeve, and inserted the needle into his shoulder.

Hiro winced as she gave him the injection. She pulled the syringe out and put it in the pocket of her dress.

Naiee's eyes snapped open.

He glanced around and fought against the chains. Once he caught Hiro's gaze he stopped moving and just stared as if to say _What in the name of Naia are you doing here?_

Marcus and Sophie removed the boy's gags.

"Hiro? Where are we?" Naiee asked frantically.

"Let us go!" Hiro shouted, ignoring Naiee.

"No thanks, but...I'll answer your questions before you ask." Elik said. "You saw too much. You know we're working with harpies, and we can't risk you blowing our cover. So, we're getting rid of you."

Naiee's eyes widened. "No! My father wouldn't be able to handle it if I died!"

He was concerned about his father? That he would be sad if Naiee died? At a time like _this?_

Did he have no regard for his own life?

"Is hurting yourself part of your cover act? To pretend you were attacked by harpies?" Hiro shouted.

"Who would turn down some poor, innocent, injured people?" Elik chuckled.

"What about the people the harpies carried off?" Naiee asked.

Elik pointed to the pile of bones.

Naiee's face lost it's color.

"What about Gezzura?" Hiro yelled.

"Oh, him? He's a decoy in case we ever get found out. They'll punish him for being in charge, not me." Elik answered. "Now, I believe we are done here."

'What? No! NO!" Naiee screamed. He strained against the chains that stubbornly held him captive. "NAIA!"

Elik smiled and nodded to the harpies. They screamed happily, and charged forward.

"Please, no…"' Hiro whispered. Five harpies seized him, their talons piercing his skin. Naiee wasn't doing any better. His face was bleeding badly.

Hiro squeezed his eyes shut as the harpies painfully tore through his limbs.

Then the harpies backed off.

"If you touch him again, I swear, I will rip your wings off and stuff them up your beak." A familiar voice shouted. Hiro shakily opened his eyes.

Tadashi's spirit.

"Tadashi?!" Hiro exclaimed.

"Hey bud." Tadashi smiled gently. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner… Me and Naia… We can only come when your lives are in danger."

Naia was indeed in front of Naiee. Unlike last time, he had an infinity scarf wrapped around his neck. Naiee's scarf.

Naia and Tadashi nodded to each other, and turned to face the horde of harpies.

The battle began.


	6. Chapter Five

Naia fought as well as he had when he was alive. He whirled and kicked, punching harpies and slamming them against the wall.

Hiro's big brother, Tadashi, broke the cuffs holding the boys against the walls. When Naiee's chains were broken, he weakly collapsed to the floor. He was bleeding furiously, forming a crimson pool forming on the floor. It reminded him of Naia's death, which made him nauseous.

He tried to move, but his body was like jelly. Tadashi was healing Hiro, not paying any attention to Naiee. He groaned softly.

"Curse it! Spirits!" Elik exclaimed. "We can't hurt them! Back off!"

"WE DO NOT TAKE ORDERS FROM HUMANS!" Erdi shrieked. She spread her yellow wings fiercely. "HARPIES! DESTROY THEM!"

Three harpies charged Naiee at the same time. He tried to scramble away, but talons and beaks dug into his skin mercilessly. He cried out a little, before blood spewed from his mouth.

"Stop...please...PLEASE!" Naiee screamed. Pain ricocheted up and down his body.

"NAIEE! Hold on!" Naia shouted.

Black began to eat Naiee's vision away.

The talons and beaks vanished from Naiee's skin.

"TADASHI!" Naia exclaimed angrily.

"I'm sorry!" Tadashi said. "But he's really hurt!"

Hiro was indeed severely injured. A deep slash zigzagged across his chest, and his neck was sliced. Countless other wounds decorated his body, but those stuck out the most. Tadashi frantically pressed his hands against the injuries, struggling to stop the blood flow.

Naiee was about to to slip into unconsciousness, but he fought it. He had to stay awake, he had to see his brother.

"We have to get them out of here. Now." Tadashi said.

"Agreed." Naia said. To Naiee's complete surprise, Naia's strong arms lifted the blonde close to his chest. He could feel his brother. He hadn't done that in forever.

Naiee stopped fighting the black, and allowed himself to fall unconscious.

When Naiee came to, Naia and Tadashi were nowhere to be seen. The Healer was tending to Hiro's wounds.

Naiee groggily sat up. He was in the Healer's cabin, on the floor.

"You're up. Good." The Healer said drily. "How are you feeling?"

"I...don't...know." Naiee groaned. He felt numb, yet in pain.

"Your friend is in fatal condition. His robot couldn't help him, and neither can I." The Healer gestured for Naiee to look at Hiro.

Naiee shakily got to his feet and looked at his friend.

Hiro was shirtless, showing all the injuries on his torso and arms. A long slash that slightly resembled a Z, or a lightning bolt, stood out the most. It was deep, but it was no longer bleeding. Other, smaller, cuts decorated his body. One of his eyes was swollen shut.

Naiee cringed. There was little any mortal power could do about this wound.

"Do you need me to get more of the Water?" He asked.

"I believe that is the best option." The Healer answered.

"I'll be back in an hour." Naiee staggered towards the door.

"No. You're much too injured to go."

Naiee halted in his tracks.

"Then who will go? I'm the only one in the village who can ride Sal, he doesn't trust anyone else!" Naiee exclaimed.

"We can send someone on the same path you and your brother journeyed. I believe you eliminated many of the dangers along the way." The Healer didn't look up as he spoke, his eyes glued to Hiro.

"We made it because of many lucky factors! The troll, the griffin, the boat, the undertaker, the inventor, and more! Those things may not happen again!" Naiee protested.

"Then what are you suggesting? There is a high chance the excitement and danger of such a trip, even on a griffin, may just kill you. The harpies may not have injured you as badly as Hiro, but you're still in a fatal condition." The Healer said sternly.

"Well we need that water. Once me and Sal get there, I'll drink some. Then I won't be in nearly as much danger." Naiee suggested.

"It's too risky. Your father would hang himself if you died."

"I won't die. I'm going to make it."

"I can't support this Naiee."

"But Hiro's dying!"

"Naiee, you need to worry about yourself."

"HIRO IS MY BEST FRIEND!" Naiee slammed his fists against the wall, tears streaming from his eyes. "HE'S MY ONLY FRIEND! I AM NOT LETTING SOMEONE ELSE I LOVE DIE! NOT AGAIN!"

Naiee looked at The Healer, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "Don't you get that? I can't lose anyone else. I just, can't."

The Healer sighed. "I can't do anything to stop you, can I?"

Naiee grit his teeth and glared at the white haired man in response.

"Very well. Leave, before I come to my senses." He narrowed his eyes and looked back to Hiro.

Naiee sucked in one more shaky breath of air, and sped out of the cabin.


	7. Chapter Six

Sal came bulleting towards Naiee, his body a blur of russet and white. Naiee held his arms up to calm the lion-bird as he grazed his paws against the grass. Once the griffin had eased himself onto the ground, Naiee climbed atop his feathered back as quickly as he could in his current state.

Sal screamed loudly, and sprung off the ledge into the open air. Naiee felt Sal's muscles tensed under his feathers and fur as he beat his wings with a ferocity Naiee could only pretend to know.

The wind was in their favor, blowing them towards the wilderness. The houses of the village became less frequent and more scattered until the last building vanished from sight, and the ground below was covered in trees.

A haunting howl rang through the air. Naiee glanced down. He couldn't see any wolves, which made sense because it was night and the only thing visible on the ground was trees.

Sal screamed loudly, his voice riddled with hostility.

Another wolf howled, and Sal screamed right back. Naiee felt his heart beat faster. What were they doing? Was Sal communicating with wolves? What would they communicate about? Were the wolves planning something?

Sal was slowing.

Naiee swallowed fearfully. He gently nudged Sal's paw with his foot.

"Sal, come on. We don't have much time." Naiee whispered.

Sal ignored him and screamed again.

A wolf howled back almost instantly.

"Sal, what are you-"

Suddenly, the griffin dove, rocketing towards the forest. Naiee's stomach felt as light as air, and his voice was lost to the wind as he screamed. He gripped Sal's feathers tightly, not caring if he pulled some. He just needed Sal to stop flying towards a pack of deadly wolves.

Once Sal landed in a clearing, he immediately shook Naiee off his back. Seven wolves surrounded them, eyes glowing and teeth gleaming.

Sal screamed and reared, showing off his claws and muscled body.

The wolves snapped their jaws, saliva dripping from the gaps between their jagged teeth. Their wily yellow eyes glinted with feral pride.

Naiee backed against a tree. Some of the wolves' snouts were blackened, as if they'd been...scorched, by something.

Naiee gripped the leaves on the ground fearfully. These were the same wolves, the same ones that had hunted him and his brother.

Sal lashed out at some of the wolves with his claws unsheathed. They scrambled back, then crept back towards the griffin, snarling.

Two wolves turned from Sal and fixed their piercing golden gaze on Naiee.

He was vulnerable. Not only was he just weak in the first place, but he was also injured. He was defenseless.

 _Maybe Naia will come_ , Naiee thought desperately. Then he stiffened, realizing his cowardice. _No. I need to learn to take care of myself_.

Naiee grit his teeth. He shakily got to his feet and stared down the wolves. His limbs were weak and shaky, but he gazed at the wolves like they were the ones who should be scared.

Sal screamed. A wolf had sunk it's fangs into Sal's wing. Blood dripped from the bite.

Naiee dashed past the wolves that had backed him against a tree. He grabbed a bulky rock off the ground and charged towards the wolves.

He slammed the rock on the head of the wolf that was biting Sal. It yelped and released the griffin, slinking low to the ground. It stumbled a little, then fell unconscious.

The wolves backed off a little, sizing up Naiee. It was obvious they hadn't considered him a threat, but there he was, an unconscious wolf at his feet.

"Sal. We need to go." Naiee whispered. "Now."

The griffin lowered himself a little, pressing his wings against the forest floor.

Naiee scooped a small stone off the ground. The wolves tensed. He threw it at the wolf in the back. The wolf dodged easily, but the pack was distracted for a second.

Naiee seized the moment and jumped onto Sal's back. Sal screamed and launched into the sky. The wolves howled angrily, frustrated that their prey had escaped.

Naiee released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Sal whimpered a little.

"We'll stop once we're a good ways away from those mongrels." Naiee hissed. "And never do that again. Ever."

Sal dipped his head a little, obviously ashamed. He continued to fly, not looking up.

Naiee wrapped his arms around Sal's neck. He allowed himself to relax, but he was still tense, and he was shaking, but at least they were away from the wolves. He rubbed Naia's scarf between his fingers, small tears welling up in his eyes.

Naiee quickly realized he was about to start crying, and wiped the extra moisture out of his eyes. He had to grow up and get over it.

"Sal, land over there." Naiee instructed, pointing to a ledge on the nearest mountain. Sal screamed and rocketed towards the ledge, then shakily landed on the stone.

Naiee dismounted Sal and took a look at his wing. The bite could've been much worse. Blood soaked a small amount of feathers.

Naiee unwrapped the bandages around a slash in his foot. He wrapped them around the end of Sal's wing.

"Rest up for five minutes. We're almost there." Naiee said gently. Sal dipped his head gratefully, and settled onto the stone. He was asleep in ten seconds.

Naiee directed his attention towards the sky. The sun was beginning to poke it's head up behind the mountains. It's golden rays crawled forward, staining the dark sky with a soft rose hue. The indigo clouds were lined with a golden-yellow.

It had been a while since Naiee had seen a sunrise. He usually got to bed so late that when he woke the sun was nearly halfway across the sky. He shifted his position, and something attached to his belt pushed him awkwardly. The wooden water container. Before he reached out to take it, he thought of something.

Naiee pulled one of his gloves off. He had quite a tan line. While his fingers were well worn and tough, his palm and lower arm were soft and pale. He took the water container out of his belt. He turned it over in his hand, feeling the smooth, worn wood against his hand.

An image flashed through his mind. Naia, backed up against a rock, bleeding out. Naiee standing there helplessly as Naia extended the container, urging him to run and get the Water.

Naiee shook his head quickly. It was useless to think of him right now. As much as he wanted to mourn Naia again, his friend's life was in danger. He had to help.

He put the container back and pulled his glove on. He turned to Sal and gently shook him awake.

"Let's go."


	8. Chapter Seven

Naia watched the griffin take off, flying in the direction of the tree. Naiee was holding the griffin's neck lightly, a tough expression on his face.

The little blonde boy's confidence was changing like crazy. One day he has zero belief in himself, the next he's soaring off to save his friend with his chest puffed out and head held high. It warmed Naia's heart to see his little brother becoming more comfortable in his own skin though. He was worried the fragile boy would be depressed for life because Naia had to go and get run through by some giant spider-lady.

"Hey Naia." A familiar voice said. Naia glanced over his shoulder.

Tadashi Hamada waved a little as he approached.

"Hello Tadashi. I thought you were monitoring Hiro." Naia replied.

"I was, but I think Baymax and that doctor guy can keep him alive until Naiee comes back."

"I see. Well, Naiee's almost there. He just flew over that frozen wasteland."

Tadashi peeked down and saw Naiee riding the griffin, the icy tundra under him.

"Well, if that isn't progress I don't know what is." Tadashi smiled.

"If only we had a griffin to begin with. I could've done this, and Naiee could be properly resting to heal up faster. He is going to scar, I guarantee it." Naia remarked gruffly.

"Calm down." Tadashi said. "Let's catch up with your brother."

Naia snapped his fingers and appeared alongside the griffin. He began running on air to keep up, and Tadashi soon appeared next to him.

"Does your brother ever brush his hair?" Tadashi asked.

"He tries, but it will never stay down. It poofs out like that even underwater. You should see how he wakes up in the morning." Naia smiled a little, turning to glance at his brother.

Naiee had tears forming in his eyes.

Out of pure instinct, Naia jumped onto the griffin. He wrapped his arms around his little brother's chest and buried his face in Naiee's shoulder.

"What's wrong buddy?" Naia whispered, despite the fact that he knew his little brother couldn't hear him.

Then he looked down.

The tree was as magnificent as ever, it's snow colored leaves reflecting the sunlight, giving the cliffside a brighter look. Then Naia saw where he released his last breath. He let go of his brother, even though it would make no difference to Naiee.

The griffin landed a foot away from Naia's final resting place. Naiee dismounted shakily, then collapsed onto the ground.

"One of his wounds re-opened back with the wolves!" Tadashi exclaimed. "He doesn't have enough blood in his body!"

Naia's heart dropped like a stone.

"Nai...ahh…" His little brother groaned. Their eyes met.

 _His life is in danger!_ Naia realized.

"Give me the water container Naiee. You'll be fine." Naia told his brother frantically.

Naiee barely managed to pull the wooden gourd out before Naia snatched it away and raced up the tree. Tadashi had his hands pressed against Naiee's chest, and Naiee was coughing up blood.

Naia scrambled up a vine and rocketed across some branches until he reached the Water. He was spellbound for a second. He couldn't move, the Water simply radiated life and tranquility.

 _No. I have a brother to save._ Naia unscrewed the lid to the container and filled it with water. He put the cap back on and jumped from the tree.

A puddle of blood had formed at Naiee's mouth. His breath was becoming shallow. Naia could feel the life slipping out of him.

Naia frantically lifted his brother and poured the Water of Life in his mouth.

"Don't die Naiee." Naia said desperately. Tears began to flow from his eyes. "Don't you dare die. I won't let you die Naiee. Come on, stay alive. Think about Father, and Hiro. And the village! If you die, Hiro will die, then no will know about the harpies until they're being eaten alive! So you have to stay alive!"

Naia was full out sobbing. He tried so hard to hide his emotions for his brother's sake, but he couldn't stop himself. He pulled Naiee close to him, cradling the half-dead boy in his arms. He stroked his untamable blonde hair, tears continuing to fall from his eyes.

"Naia, he's coming to." Tadashi said softly. Naiee was indeed stirring.

"Oh thank any holy being in this world of any religion." Naia said. He wiped his eyes and set his brother down. He groaned and groggily sat up.

"Naia?" Naiee said. He looked around, his eyes looking straight through Naia. Naia hugged his brother one last time, even though he knew his brother couldn't feel it.

But to his utter surprise, Naiee's arms wrapped around Naia.

"I can't see you, but I know you're there. You've always been there. Thank you. Thank you so, so much." He whispered.

Naiee released Naia and turned to the tree. He ran up the trunk and vanished behind the branches.

Naia exhaled sadly.

"Being dead isn't fun, eh?" Tadashi rested his hand on Naia's shoulder.

"That was too close. He nearly died. I need to do better." Naia replied.

"Naiee will be fine." Tadashi said.

"I hope so." Naia whispered. He tugged at his brother's scarf, wrapped around his neck. "I hope so."

Author's Note:

Hi, this story is being discontinued on this site, however, I will continue writing it on Wattpad and Quotev (This site's format is hard for me to work with). My account name is AlphaPaw04, so if you want to read more go to either of those websites to continue.

Thanks!


	9. Chapter Eight

Hiro's eyes shot open. He was in The Healer's cabin, on the table. His chest was bare. The Healer, Baymax, and Naiee stood around him.

"Are you okay?" Everyone asked.

"I…" Hiro groaned. His body ached, but nothing felt severe. "I guess…"

"You'd better be." Naiee crossed his arms. "I would kill you if you died."

Hiro blinked, then realized the blonde was joking. He smiled a little. Then he remembered why he was here. The harpies, Elik, Tadashi…

"What happened with the harpies?" Hiro asked. "What about Tadashi?"

"Tadashi and Naia are always here Hiro." Naiee said. A gloved hand took Hiro's hand and squeezed it gently. "As for the harpies...I think we killed three of them. I say we, I mean Naia and Tadashi."

"Wait," Hiro sat up, then winced. His chest was still sore. "Naia and Tadashi can only become physical when our lives are in serious danger, right?"

Naiee nodded.

"Then why did Naia come when Icksar, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, were picking on you? Were...were they going to kill you?"

Naiee's expression got dark. "They've killed two people, indirectly, before."

Hiro's gut twisted.

"Yes...They pushed one boy off a cliff, and claimed to have not known the cliff was there." The Healer said. He began unwrapping the bandages decorating Hiro's body.

"The whole village knows that they knew the cliff was there. No one can do anything about it though." Naiee added. "We can't prove it. We have no proof."

"And they tormented one girl until she...she…" The Healer closed his eyes and shook his head. "She ended her own life."

Hiro's eyes widened.

"They were probably planning to 'accidently' knock me out and push me in a river or something." Naiee shrugged.

"That's...that's horrible…" Hiro shuddered. "Why would they do something like that?"

"I will never understand why." Naiee said.

"You're free to go boys." The Healer said. He handed Hiro his (blood soaked) pajama shirt, which he hastily put on. Naiee was kind of staring.

Hiro shakily got off the table and got a good look at Naiee. There was a pink scar across the side of his face and he had a black eye, a red line showed that there was a slash across his arm, a cut across his foot, and Hiro could see the beginning of a slash on Naiee's collarbone. The rest of his injuries were covered by clothing.

Hiro stumbled into Naiee, who caught him quickly. His arms were surprisingly tough. Hiro blushed, and pulled himself away from the blonde.

Naiee extended a hand, smiling a little. His sad emerald green eyes twinkled.

Hiro took his hand, and Naiee wrapped his arm around his shoulders. Hiro let some of his weight fall on the blonde.

Naiee helped him limp out of the cottage and to his house.

"Hiro! What on earth happened?" Aunt Cass said frantically. She surveyed his cut, bruised body. "Was it those bullies again? I swear I'm going to beat those punks up myself."

"No. It was harpies. What's for breakfast? I am, starving." Hiro said. He strode inside as casually as he could, but his legs kept giving out so he was forced to seize the wall to stay upright.

Aunt Cass sputtered and followed him. Hiro glanced over his shoulder. Behind Aunt Cass, Naiee waved a little and walked up to his house.

"Harpies?! What?!" Cass exclaimed.

"Yeah. Those shipwrecked people were harboring harpies. They plan to release them to eat everyone in the village. Jenny, Sophie, and Marcus kidnapped me and set the harpies on me. The people living with Naiee kidnapped and gave him to the harpies too. But Tadashi and Naia saved us. I was much worse, injury wise, than Naiee, so as soon as Naiee woke up, he set out on his griffin to get some healing water. And now I'm better, and he's better. Seriously, what is on the menu this morning?"

Cass's jaw dropped and her eyes bugged. She stuttered frantically.

There was a knock at the door. Aunt Cass closed her mouth and swallowed nervously. She put her eye against the peephole.

She gasped a little. "It's Marcus Jenny and Sophie."

Hiro hid himself inside a pantry in the kitchen counter. "Play it cool." He whispered to Cass. "Act oblivious." He closed the door.

Cass frowned and made pouty eyes, but she nodded and opened the door.

"Hi! Where were you? Have you seen Hiro?" Cass grinned.

"Uh- um- Hiro? I-I-I-Is he missing?" Sophie's voice asked.

"Yeah, it's got me worried. I went up to his room and his covers were all messed up, and all his clothes were undisturbed."

"We forgot some items at the ship." Marcus's voice said urgently. "Which is why we were missing."

"So you didn't see Hiro out there then?" Cass sighed. "Okay. I'm going to ask around the town. Maybe someone else has seen him."

"O-o-o-okay." Sophie stuttered. "Bye."

The door closed, and Hiro knew Cass had left.

 _She's going to let the village know about the harpies,_ Hiro realized. _Clever Cass._

"The boy must have died on his way back. What do you think happened to the other one?" Jenny asked. Hiro winced at the small girl's harsh words, then got an idea. He pulled his recorder out and turned it on. It was pretty high quality, Hiro had made it himself. It was a small black box with a red light up dot and a speaker. It should be able to catch most, if not all of, the conversation. He needed some sort of proof, just in case.

"He's still alive. I saw him go into the house next to us." Sophie replied.

"Do you think Shira and Miko will finish the job?" Jenny said.

"They would need to kill the boy and the father, that is, if that blonde midget hasn't told his father. Shira and Miko are as good as dead if that boy reveals them." Marcus growled.

"Well what's stopping him?" Sophie pointed out. "The shorty's father is fairly well muscled. He could take on Shira and Miko and win."

"Not if Shira sticks him with one of her creepy liquids." Jenny said. "She could kill him with one syringe."

"She may have run out. I remember she only had three at the last village we raided." Sophie argued. "Marcus, why don't you go invite yourself in there and help out if things get bad. Here, you can take one of my daggers. I've got three."

"Alright." Marcus agreed. The door opened. "I'll see if I can talk to Shira and Miko about their plans for the midget." The door closed.

Hiro's heart skipped a beat. This was his chance. With Marcus gone, he had a chance of maybe capturing Sophie and Jenny. He just needed a weapon of some sort. Hiro held up his recorder and used the flashing red light to look around the pantry. It was full of pans, but hanging on one of the walls…

Hiro pulled the deadliest looking knife out of the tray. It's blade reflected the flashing light ominously. He gripped the handle and pushed one door to the pantry open. He crawled out and peered around the corner.

Sophie and Jenny were watching Naiee's house through the window.

Hiro silently crept forward. He got to his feet stealthily, then sprang forward.

The girls whipped around, but Hiro already had Jenny's arm locked in his grasp. The six year old let out a torrent of furious curse words, but stopped abruptly when Hiro put the knife against her throat.

"Make ONE move, and I will." Hiro hissed. He didn't like that his plan was counting on Sophie showing motherly love, but it was all he had.

Sophie's face contorted with rage, but she didn't move.

"Drop your weapons. I know you've got 'em." Hiro commanded. He pushed the knife harder against Jenny's throat.

Sophie, reluctantly, pulled a dagger out from under her dress and tossed it to the floor.

"All of them." Hiro growled. He braced himself and lifted the knife a little, then he dragged it across Jenny's throat. He hated himself for doing this, but he needed Sophie defenseless.

Sophie threw her other dagger at Hiro's feet. He stomped on it before it came in contact with his skin.

Jenny suddenly thrashed against Hiro's grip. She was strong, but she was also six. Hiro swallowed nervously and slammed her head against the wall. She went limp.

He dropped her and raised his foot over her head while he grabbed Sophie's daggers off the floor. He put them in his jacket.

"Now I am going to tie her up. If you move, I will not hesitate to kill her. Got that?" Hiro barked.

Sophie scowled.

"BAYMAX!" Hiro shouted. "COME HERE!"  
Five seconds passed, and the robot came waddling down the stairs.  
"Hold her." Hiro jerked his head towards Sophie.  
"May I ask why?" Baymax asked.  
"No."  
Baymax seized each of Sophie's hands.  
Hiro turned away and pulled up a chair and a roll of rope he had found under the sink. He tied Jenny's hands behind her back, tied her ankles together, and tied her to the chair. He grabbed a dirty washcloth and stuffed it in her mouth, then tied that in. He cut the rope with Sophie's dagger, then tossed the rope to Baymax.  
"Do what I just did." He commanded.  
The robot obliged. Sophie fought him the whole time, but she was no match for Baymax.  
Hiro grabbed Jenny's chair and dragged it down a hallway. At the end of the hallway, was a trap door.  
Hiro opened it the door, and a musky, earth scent burst from it. Jenny began to groan.  
The cellar was small and about six feet deep and five feet squared. The door was right above the center. The perfect place to store the two wily females.  
Hiro eased Jenny down into it. He pushed her chair to the right with his foot, nearly falling in twice. She was definitely stirring.  
Then Hiro remembered how Sophie had stored weapons. Could Jenny have some hidden knives concealed in some secret pocket of her dress?  
Hiro dropped into the cellar. He scanned Jenny up and down. It didn't look like she had any weapons, but they could be expertly concealed. But he really didn't want to search her.

Hiro took a deep breath, and pulled up her long sleeves. No hidden knives or anything like that. He ran his hand down her back, but the bumps of her spine were the only things he fingers came in contact with. He pulled her shoes off and inspected them. They were just regular old slip ons, no darts or secret knives.

He wasn't going to pat down her chest or legs. That was where he drew the line.

"Hey Baymax," Hiro called. "Drop Sophie down here."

Baymax did so, and pushed her to the side just like Hiro had. H then plopped down and joined Hiro in the damp cellar.

"Can you scan them for weapons?" Hiro asked.

"Scanning…" Baymax's eyes became a small black and blue grid for a second, then they went back to normal. "There is a knife strapped to the younger girl's leg."

"Could you get it off her?" Hiro squirmed, quite uncomfortable with the thought of touching Jenny's leg.

"Of course." Baymax answered. He reached towards the end of Jenny's dress, and Hiro looked away as Baymax retrieved the weapon.

"Here you go." Baymax's voice said.

Hiro turned. Baymax had a wicked sharp knife in his hand.  
"Make sure to handle this item with extreme caution. Knives are very sharp and you could very easily cut yourself." Baymax instructed as Hiro palmed the knife.

"Let's go." Hiro said, and he shoved the knife into his pocket, praying it wouldn't rip through..

"Do you need a boost?" Baymax blinked.

"No." Hiro replied flatly. "I can get out just fine."

Hiro jumped and seized the floor of his house. He threw his arms over the boards and attempted to pull himself up, but his hand slipped, and with a quick flash of pain in his palm, he fell back into inflated arms.

"You have a splinter." Baymax observed. Hiro looked at his hand. There was a speck of brown in the center of his hand, slightly throbbing with pain.

"Treat it once we climb out." Hiro said. "Now, boost me!"

Baymax simply lifted Hiro up and plopped him down on the floor. Hiro scooted back and allowed the robot to climb out.

"Close the door." Hiro said. He glared at the two girls, trapped in their cell of earth.

Baymax did so, then turned to Hiro.

"May I see your hand?" Baymax reached his own hand out, ready to accept Hiro's.

Hiro turned his hand up and put in Baymax's.

Baymax lifted his other hand and poised his finger over Hiro's palm. A set of tweezers emerged from his pointer finger.

"I don't remember giving you tweezers." Hiro remarked.

"I took them as a precaution. I hope you don't mind." Baymax tweezed the splinter out of Hiro's palm. Hiro winced a little at the quick pain. Baymax sprayed the usual disinfectant and put a bandage on his hand.

"We need to go to Naiee's house, now. He's in trouble." Hiro said. He pulled Baymax's expandable armour out of his pocket and placed them on Baymax's limbs. They quickly grew into full red and purple armour. Hiro threw his on as quickly as he could.

"Come on." Hiro commanded, then he ran out the door, Baymax jogging behind him.


End file.
